Ethics and the Acquisition of Organs

T. M. Wilkinson

Description

Transplantation is a medically successful and cost-effective way to treat people whose organs have failed--but not enough organs are available to meet demand. Ethics and the Acquisition of Organs is concerned with the major ethical problems raised by policies for acquiring organs. The main topics are the rights of the dead, the role of the family, opt in and opt out systems, the conscription of organs, living organ donation from adults and children, directed donation and priority for donors, and the sale of organs.

In this ground-breaking work, T. M. Wilkinson uses concepts from moral and political theory such as autonomy, rights, posthumous interests, justice, and well-being, in a context informed by the clinical, legal, and policy aspects of transplantation. The result is a rigorous philosophical exploration of real problems and options. He argues that the ethics of acquiring organs for transplantation is not only of great intellectual interest, but also of practical importance. As such, this book will be of profit not only to students and academics who work in applied ethics and bioethics, but also to the lawyers, policy-makers, clinicians, and lobby groups interested in transplantation.

Ethics and the Acquisition of Organs

T. M. Wilkinson

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION2. TRANSPLANTATION AND RIGHTS OVER OUR BODIES3. THE POSSIBILITY OF POSTHUMOUS HARM4. THE MORAL CLAIMS OF THE DEAD5. THE DEAD AND THEIR FAMILIES6. CONSENT AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE WISHES OF THE DEAD7. CONSCRIPTION8. LIVING DONOR ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION9. IMPARTIALITY, ACQUISITION, AND ALLOCATION10. ORGANS AND MONEYBibliographyIndex

Ethics and the Acquisition of Organs

T. M. Wilkinson

Author Information

T. M. Wilkinson is an Associate Professor in Political Studies at the University of Auckland. He is a political philosopher with a longstanding interest and publishing record in transplantation ethics. He has published on a wide range of topics besides transplantation, such as distributive justice, freedom, public health ethics, and research ethics. He was chair of the New Zealand government's Bioethics Council and is currently a member of its National Ethics Advisory Committee.

Ethics and the Acquisition of Organs

T. M. Wilkinson

Reviews and Awards

"This small book puts forward the best philosophical analysis yet available of the grounds for donating and otherwise supplying organs for transplant. Wilkinson's positions are sometimes controversial, but always challenging. The book is essential for moral philosophers as well as those non-philosophers interested in the ultimate foundation of the important practice of organ transplant."--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews